Timeline for the American Revolution
The American Revolution was a major event in the history of the United States. The Americans successfully wrested independence from the British. Read on to learn about it.
Timeline of the American Revolution
1763: The seven-year French and Indians War ended with the signing of the Treaties of Paris and Hubertusburg. There was a proclamation on October 7, which prohibited settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.
1764: In order to meet the expenses of defending the American colonies and the cost of the French and Indian War, the British Parliament approved a revenue generating measure called the American Revenue Act of 1764. It was also known as 'Sugar Act'. It imposed stricter trade regulation and duties on sugar and molasses. It created a monopoly on the American sugar market for British planters.
1765: On March 22 the Stamp Act is passed by the British Parliament, which placed tax on printed matter and legal documents.
1770: On March 5, the 'Boston Massacre' took place. British troops killed five civilians before they backed off and left Boston. All Townshend duties are removed except for tax on tea.
1773: Three British ships (Dartmouth, Eleanor, and Beaver) laden with tea being imported to America by the East India Tea Company are stalled in Boston harbor. With no local merchants willing to accept the cargo, the captains of the three ships have agreed not to try to unload the cargo. Governor Thomas Hutchinson refused to allow the tea-laden vessels to depart the harbor until the import duty on the unwanted tea is paid. The Colonial activists disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians and board the ships and dumped all 342 containers of tea into the harbor which was dubbed the 'Boston Tea Party'. Samuel Adams and the 'Sons of Liberty' group organized the Colonial activists.
1774: In September twelve of the thirteen colonies sent representatives to the First Continental Congress at Philadelphia. The representatives urged colonists to boycott all British goods.
1775: The war unofficially began with the battle of Lexington and Concord. There ensued the battle of Bunker Hill which ended with a costly victory for the British forces.
1776: In March, the Americans placed artillery on a hill overlooking Boston. The British withdrew, and on March 17, the Americans entered Boston. On 2 July Congress voted in favor of independence. The Declaration of Independence was approved on July 4 and the American colonies were officially at war with Britain.
1777: Lacking supplies, 5,700 British, German and loyalist forces under Major General John Burgoyne surrender to Major General Horatio Gates in a milestone in the Revolutionary War.
1778: In 1778, the fledgling nation formed an alliance with France. The French government recognizes American independence. In return for fighting for American Independence, France could expect America to support it if Britain declared war on France. Soon in a few months, Britain and France were at war. Britain tried to broker peace with the colonies by pledging not to tax them. The British representatives returned to Britain, their mission a major failure.
1780: The Americans suffer a defeat at battle of Camden. Charleston is taken by the British.
1781: The Articles of Confederation is ratified. The British forces led by Cornwallis surrender at Yorktown a disastrous defeat for the British.
1782: The British Parliament votes against further war in America. The British government authorizes peace negotiations. A preliminary peace treaty signed in Paris which recognized American independence and had a stipulation for the British withdrawal from America.
1783: The war finally and formally ended. The Treaty of Paris was signed by both the United States and Great Britain. George Washington delivers farewell address and resigns his position as commander-in-chief to the Congress of the Confederation.
1787: The American Constitution was adopted on September 17, 1787, by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was later ratified by conventions in each of the American states.
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